The Coffee Shop on the Edge of Tomorrow
by ceirdwenfc
Summary: Originally written for mlui187 for the hp canon fest exchange on LJ. This is the story of Percy and Audrey over a period of time beginning one year after the Battle of Hogwarts. I've listed it as complete, but you never know.


Percy set his spoon to stirring in the delicate tea cup in front of him. He hated this place. Since the war had ended, businesses had expanded. That was all well and good, but who would have thought that there would be a call for Madame Puddifoot's in London? But, here it was. So close to the Ministry's door that he hadn't had a choice but to come in when Madame Puddifoot herself had heard him complaining after a proper tea on his way to lunch. Now, here he was, sitting alone in the poufy chair, pretending to read his papers, magically stirring his tea, wishing he were in the pub down the street. Hadn't Bill offered to take him out today? He should have gone with him, but no, he turned him down, preferring the solitude. Percy sipped his tea. There'd certainly be enough company next month at the first year memorial, but for Fred's birthday, he really preferred the solitude. He stared into his tea cup, his eyes beginning to fill. In the quiet, he could hear his brother's laugh. He missed him; and his laugh.

Percy blinked back the tears and looked around the room, stifling a snort and shaking his head. The fluffy pillows and the lacy décor were finally getting to him. Time for a pint. He tossed a couple of Sickles on the table for the waitress; whenever it was that she got around to him again and stood abruptly.

He hadn't even a moment to grab his cloak from the back of the chair when he was nearly knocked off his feet. He reached a hand out to keep himself standing and as an afterthought to steady the person who crash into him so hard. Suddenly, he felt small, but strong hands uprighting him. He turned, smoothing his robes, half a mind to chastise the person for bumping into him, but her eye caught his and his anger dissolved, surprised to find such a lovely face. He was transfixed by her amber eyes. And her lovely smile…. He recovered quickly, and smiled down at her. He was steady on his feet now and spoke, using his best Assistant to the Minister voice.

"Are you all right? I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked gently, surveying her for any damage he may have caused in bumping her so violently. He paused several times, admiring, as his eye wandered over her. He had seen her a few times in passing in the Ministry's lobby.

She shook her head and looked away. She, seemed to want to say something, but she hesitated, staring at his hair, but only for a moment before she smiled, stooping over to pick his cloak up from the floor where it had fallen. She held it out to him, but instead of taking it from her hand, he threaded his arm around her waist and pulled her to him, pressing his lips hard against hers.

He didn't know what he expected – a slap, a scream, but she felt good in his arms and he committed the scent of her hair to his memory, letting the kiss end. He ran his hand up her back, stopping at her head, touching the soft curls, twisting one around his finger. He smiled widely, feeling energized for the first time in what seemed like forever and knew that this girl, this stranger in the coffee shop had breathed new life into him even as he was almost breathless from kissing her.

He released her, taking his cloak, and walked out of the shop and into the misty rain without looking back.

*********

He thought about that day often in the last two years, wondering what made him do that. It was… unexpected. What had made him, Percy Weasley, stoic, detailed, meticulous, predictable Percy do something so out of character? He glanced up at the open window on the second floor, wiping the rain from his brow, watching Audrey as she stepped past and into the light. His breath hitched in his throat. One thin strap of her silky nightdress had slipped off her shoulder and he watched, hoping she might bend over, towards the window or away didn't much matter – she was beautiful coming or going and he smiled, thinking about tomorrow when they would be married.

Pulling his wand from inside his jacket, he waved it at the ladder, remembering only at the last minute to say the Silencing Spell that kept the ladder from clattering against the flower box. Surely that would have woken her parents. He put the wand away and began to climb. Each rung brought him closer to her, and now the rain was falling in earnest again. His hair was matted against his face and he shook his head to get it out of his eyes. He climbed nervously, seeing the droplets settle on his glasses. His hands were slippery, both from the wet of the rain and from his sweat. His nerves were raw and he looked up to gauge his progress. The rain slowed him, but despite everyone's misconception that he was so predictable, he would surprise her. His heart was racing, anticipating her surprise when he popped in through her window, but she of all people knew him only with the changes she brought out in him. He smiled more; relaxed more; laughed more when she was around. Tonight was serious, though.

His eyes peeked over the flower box and he was pleased to find that she hadn't fixed the strap, which still hung down. She had lovely breasts and with the strap in that position he had a perfect view – so full and round and her flawless skin shone in the candlelight. She was sitting on her bed, bending forward and she rubbed cream on her legs. He was transfixed by the sight and was so absorbed in the scene that he only stopped staring when he realised that she had seen him.

She stood abruptly.

He was startled and reacted by letting go of the ladder. His eyes widened, as did hers, and he fell backwards, somehow managing to grab one rung and then brought his other arm up to grab another and began to climb back up.

His face was as red as his hair, and when he got to the top he was surprised to find her leaning over the window box with a concerned expression.

He stepped up one more rung and he leaned forward, their lips meeting. He kept one hand steady on the ladder, but brought his other hand up to twist in her hair, then using one finger to touch her ear and cheek, and gliding it down her chest, dipping into the hollow between her breasts.

He barely pulled his lips away from hers. "I could have watched you all evening. You're beautiful."

"Is that why you climbed a ladder in the rain, Mr. Weasley? To watch me put lotion on my legs?" She took one step back and crooked her finger at him. "Do you want to come in?"

Percy almost lost his resolve. He loved it when she bit her lip like that, even better when she bit his. He shook his head and he could feel the rain droplets shaking away from him.

"You come out."

"Sorry? Oh no." She laughed, taking another step back.

He reached for her hand and she took his readily while still keeping her distance. He tugged gently, and repeated himself. "You come out. Come with me, love."

"With you?"

"Marry me."

"I'm marrying you tomorrow."

"Not tomorrow. Right now. Climb out and we'll go straightaway and get married. I won't wait any longer."

"I can't just –"

She pulled her hand away and moved closer to the bed. "It's too –"

He scrambled up the last two rungs and in the window, shaking the water from his head, watching it land on the floor before evaporating. "It's what? Impulsive? Insane?" When she nodded, he agreed. "It is, but it's perfect. It's you and me and we could be married in an hour. I know the Minister of Magic you know. We'll go straight to his house and he'll marry us and then we'll Apparate to…." He paused only a moment before blurting out, "We'll Apparate to wherever you want to go – Paris? Rome? Even London. It doesn't matter. As long as we're together. You're my Queen and I am but your humble servant."

He made to bow, but used her momentary distractedness to move next to her and he lifted her off her feet and turned back towards the window. She shrieked with delight, but pounded his back with her fists. "I can't go out like this! I'm practically naked!"

"Just the way I like you," he answered cheekily, but he set her down and watched as she began to dress, pulling stockings up over her newly lotioned legs and stepping into her deep blue skirt, the one he liked. "Don't forget this," he said quietly when she finished pulling her jumper on. He took her hand and slipped a delicate gold ring on. The stone was an oval shape and had a tiny hint of ocher in it. He chose it to match her eyes, and he looked into them now, glistening with tears unshed, and he pulled her to him again, kissing her, touching her body with his hands and pulling her closer, rubbing against her and thinking back to that first impulsive kiss in a coffee shop that led to this –their life together, beginning with tonight's elopement.

Perhaps when Fred died, Percy thought, he left more than a piece of his joke shop to him. Perhaps, he left part of his soul, and if that were the case, Percy could live with that. As long as he could also live alongside Audrey.

He helped her climb over the flower box and steadied her on the rung just over his head. She stepped down and he rested his head on her bum. She giggled and he stepped down two rungs. She followed him.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing?!"

Percy was rendered speechless at the sound of Audrey's mother's voice. He stopped on the ladder, but Audrey continued to descend. She slid down to share his rung, her skirt rising a bit from the friction between them. His eyes widened realising how much he wanted her at this very moment, and moved closer to keep her from falling from the ladder. At least, that's what he told himself he was doing.

Audrey tilted her head, craning her neck, trying to look over Percy's shoulder. Her bum pushed into him and he very nearly groaned. He barely contained it.

"Mum. What are you doing out here?"

"Funny, I was about to ask you the same question. Shouldn't you be asleep? You both have a big day tomorrow."

"Mum –"

Percy caught the look or realisation on his soon to be mother-in-law's face and thought for a moment that he'd rather face her than his own mother. That thought was short-lived.

"You're not?!"

"Oh, Mum, really –"

"You are not running away and leaving your father and me to deal with… Audrey! What in the world are you thinking? It's only a few more hours!"

"Mum, I'm sorry, but –"

"But… but… but what, Audrey?"

"Abigail, what's going on out there?"

"Come out here, and see what you're daughter's doing!"

Percy held Audrey tightly around the waist, but looked at Audrey's mother. Taking a deep breath, he smiled kindly and spoke quietly. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Sandhurst. We're getting married tonight."

"Percy –" she began, but with the sound of the crack echoing in the air, they were gone.

*********Percy watched from afar. He couldn't believe his eyes. There was Audrey, sitting in the Leaky Cauldron, alone in a booth. She hadn't noticed him come through the kitchen of the pub, and he was pleased to see her. He thought he might surprise her, but before he could make his way over, she was joined. By a man. He was tall, dark-haired and he seemed very familiar to Percy, but he couldn't quite place him. He sat very close to Audrey and took her hands in his. Percy's chest tightened. He stood in the shadows and watched. Their hands stayed on the table, clasped together. Their heads were very close. Audrey's hair had fallen in her face, covering her eyes. She shook her head until the hair flew back and he could see her face again. She looked… resplendent… as if the sun glimmered across her. He hadn't seen her in such high spirits in weeks.

He made up his mind and took two steps towards the table, but stopped when his wife suddenly threw her arms around the man and kissed him on the cheek. He swallowed, fighting back the urge to run away and continued on his way. He placed one hand on the table when he arrived, both to steady himself as well as to control what he did with his hand.

"Audrey." He spoke very softly, almost inaudibly and tried to keep his voice calm. He could tell by her face that he had managed to keep his anger hidden. He stared at his wife as she met his eye, completely ignoring the strange man beside her. He still held Audrey's hand.

"Audrey," he repeated. "What is this?"

"I should go." The man spoke up for the first time, and rose to leave, tugging his fingers from Audrey's grasp. It was now that Percy recognised Theodore Nott. "I need to get back to St. Mungo's." He slid out from the booth and was blocked by Percy, who didn't move for a moment.

"I'll see you next week," Audrey called after him. "Two o'clock, yes?"

Theodore nodded, and exchanged places with Percy, who now took his seat beside Audrey. Percy stared after Nott as he left. Audrey reached for his hand and when she touched him, Percy jerked his hand away. He saw the confused look on her face, but remained silent.

"Why were you kissing him?"

"Kissing him? I wasn't… that was just on the cheek, silly." She slid closer to Percy and tried to take his hand again.

"And you think that's all right then?"

"I was thanking him."

"Thanking him?" Percy's voice rose and Audrey bit her lip.

Audrey moved closer to him and put her hand on his face. He wanted to both move away from her and kiss her at the same time, but before his choice could be made, she sat up on her knees and inched closer still until she was nearly in his lap. She did kiss him then, slow and softly, carefully pulling his glasses off and climbing directly into his lap.

He had forgotten why he was cross with her, realising what a prat he'd been. He was trying to determine if he could Apparate them like this directly home and into their bed or if he should err on the side of caution and use the Floo Network.

His hands slid up her skirt and he smiled, pleased to feel how much she wanted him too. He broke apart from her with a gasp and remembered that the Leaky had rooms upstairs. Percy continued to kiss her as he slid out of the booth, Audrey still on his lap.

"Wait," she gasped. Her breathing was uneven, and Percy smiled. After ten years of marriage, he loved that he could get her so worked up in a public place. He let her talk, but continued to rub her arse and kiss her face, occasionally pressing his nose into the open 'v' of her shirt.

She tried to push him away, but he insisted on opening her button with his teeth. She was so warm, and he relished in the softness of her against his cheek. He wanted to go home and take her to bed and forget about Theodore Nott.

"Did you hear what I said? About Theo?"

"Theo?" he asked, tersely, stopping his movements to look his wife in the eye.

"Yes, Theo. We went to school together, Percy."

"You weren't in Slytherin."

"No, I wasn't. Why are you so cross?"

"I came in Audrey, and you were holding hands and then… you kissed him."

"On the cheek. To say thank you."

"Thank you? For what?"

"For…" She stopped speaking and looked into his eyes. "Oh, Percy," she said, quietly. "He's a Healer. We ran into each other today at St. Mungo's and he told me that he would bring me here to wait for you when I didn't feel well."

"You didn't feel well?" Thoughts of Theo Nott went out of Percy's head. Audrey had been complaining of headaches, but he thought they'd stopped. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, Percy. Nothing's wrong, but you should get used to seeing me with Theo a lot more."

"Why is that?" His tone reverted back to clipped.

"He's a Healer. Babies are his specialty, and since we'll be having one in, oh, about six months, he will more than likely be there to hand your child to you. Or would you rather we stay home in hiding because you're a jealous prat?"

"I'm not a… a… jealous… did you say baby?"

She nodded. "I did."

"Our baby?" he asked, gesturing with his hand between them.

"What do you think?"

He barely breathed the words. "I think that… after ten years… I… I never expected to hear those words. You're really –"

"I am."

"I'm sorry," he blurted out, kissing her mouth and her cheeks and pulling her close. His tears had begun and he wasn't sure if he could remember a day when he felt happier.

A baby.

Suddenly, he didn't want to go home. He wanted to go to The Burrow. He wanted to shout from the rooftops. He wanted to hold his wife close and paint a nursery. He decided to kiss her again and then he stood, taking her hand in his. He looked at the flat plane of her stomach and smiled. They were hand in hand as they left the Leaky Cauldron together.


End file.
